January 24, 2026 | 03:38 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's second-largest Islamic organization, Muhammadiyah, has expressed concern over the government's commitment to defending Palestinian independence under Prabowo Subianto’s leadership. This worry stems from Indonesia's decision to join the Gaza Board of Peace initiated by US President Donald Trump.
"There are concerns that if Prabowo sits alongside Trump in this council, the state's stance may begin to soften," he said on Saturday, January 24, 2026.
Nevertheless, he believes that Prabowo remains consistent in his support for Palestinian independence. However, Anwar cautioned the head of state to scrutinize every move proposed by Trump carefully.
Furthermore, he pointed to the council's formation by Trump. According to him, the initiative to rebuild Gaza contradicts the long-standing actions of the United States, which have consistently favored Israel.
"During his previous term from 2017 to 2021, Trump seemed to openly support Israel's actions, which have clearly harmed Palestine," he said, citing Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the relocation of the US embassy.
He further stated that Trump's Gaza Board of Peace is detrimental to the Palestinian struggle for sovereignty. "The Gaza Board of Peace cannot be relied upon to create peace, and perhaps the opposite may occur," said Anwar.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously announced Indonesia's decision to join the Gaza Board of Peace. The announcement was made through the ministry’s verified account on X.
In a joint statement, Foreign Minister Sugiono and ministers from seven other countries agreed to join the board. Participating nations include Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Ervana Trikarinaputri contributed to the report.
Read: Foreign Minister Details Indonesia's Move to Join the Board of Peace
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